Pull cord or the like and method of making the same



Feb. 24, 1931. A. BROWN 1,793,994

PULL CQRD OR THE LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 1. 1929 v New j \\mmmu\mummunummnuu ZISATTORNEY Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT BROWN, OF ROCHESTER, YORK, ASSIG'NOR TO VOG'I. MANUFACTUEIIIG oonroRATIoN, or noonns'rnn.

YOIIIQI. 1 sh CORPQRATI'GN 81? NEW YORK PULL Conn on THE LIKE AND MErnon or MAKING THE SAME Application filed July 1, 1329. l Serial No. 375,106.

My present invention relates to cordage and more particularly to pull cords or assist grips, as they are called, of the nature used, for instance, in the interior fittings of auto mobile bodies to provide grips whereby pa sengers may steady themselves in their seats, and the invention has for its object to provide a decorative and yet strong and durable I pull cord of this character. The improvements are. directly more particularly toward the provision of means whereby the cord will hold its shape and position to better advantage than hitherto and toward the method of making it.

H To these and otherends the invention re sides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the zospeciiication.

In the drawings: 1 e Fig. 1 is a front view of a pull cord or assist grip fitting for automobiles constructed in accordance with and illustrating one em- 251 bodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe cord with the top portion thereof partly broken away as well as the center and the rest in longitudinal central section;

tached end of the cord with outer covering removed;

I Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the body of the cord, and

I Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 on a reduced scale illustrative of the manner in which the spring core is inserted.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

A pull cordof the kind mentioned and as shown'in Fig. 1 comprises an attaching plate A having a ring portion B secured in sliding engagement with a shank portion or body cord (1 At the lower end of the latter is a tassel C which, in connection with a collar E surrounding the cord constitutes the hand grip that is grasped by the passenger. The manner in which I prefer to assemble these elements in general and to secure them together is disclosed and claimed in prior pendthe stocking or Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail of the at ing application Serial No. 328,249, filed December 24,1928, and need not be described in any great detaii herein. I'Ihe body member or intermediate portion C of the cord is in r the form of a twisted rope composed of strands 1, there being four strands inthe present embodiment. These are tightly held together at their upper ends against untwisting preferably in the operation of securing the upper end of the cord to the ring B. As shown more in detail in Fig.3, the upper ends I may be ravelled, doubled over the ring so that they are turned lback upon the body and encircled bya ring 2, such as a wire suitably twisted and fastened thereabout. w I 3 5* .The lower end of the cord is similarly fastened against untwisting by a wire 3, with which is interlocked a wire 4 thatholds the pompon togetherand in place. A preferably wooden sleeve 5is drawn downover the connection to conceal it, as illustrated in Fig. 1,.being covered with a stocking 6, while atthe top a stocking 'Zmay be used toconceal the fastening device at that end first de scribed. 1

Heretofore these pull cords or assist grips have usually. been made wholly flexible as to the body portion C and as they are commonly composed of silkor other line threads, they become limp, stretched and distorted in use having a tendency to kink. Besides, the former constructions Wei-every light and not so easy .to'iind with the hand and grasp. In the practice of my present invention, I provideithe body .portionC with a resilient, bendable core which holds it straight and relatively still whennot in use, but yields gently totthe grip of the hand when in use. I prefer to constitute this core of a small, tightly coiled, helical, steel spring of the nature shown at 8 inFigsQ and It is somewhat shorter than the cord body C, as shown, and has a free or floating position therein, being unattached at either end so that it may slide longitudinally with its flexing movements.

.In eiiect, itappears that the strands 1 of the rope body C are twisted about the spring core 8,but in my preferred method of manufacture I completely form the rest of the pull cord or assist grip beforeaddingthe spring. 100

spread the strands down the length of the body with a revolving motion of the cord while at the same time progressively tucking the spring between thestran'ds, as illustrated" in Fig. 5. The strands enfold it completely without any permanent distortion of them-.,

selves so that the spring occupiesthe exact center of the cord,'as shown in Fig. 4. Thus the floating character of the spring not only promotes its proper functioning in use but makes possible-this very. simple and convenient mode of attaching it. p 7 r v The spring co-re really has the effect of tightening the twist of the strands so that the cord as such holds its shape better than the core and the added weight of the spring causes it to hang gracefully and offer an altogether moreisubstantial grip. Iclaim as my invention lrAn assist grip comp means at one end'thereof, a grip at the other end thereof, and a resilient member positioned within the coils of said body portion and free tom'ove longitudinally with respect thereto.

2. An assist comprising a flexibleof twisted cords forming a body portion, at-' v taching means atone end thereof, .a grip at the other end thereof, and a springl'concealed and surrounded by said twisted cords. andcapable of 'endwise movement relatively thereto. 1 i

* 4. In an assist grip, the combination with a flexibly inert rope-like body portion comv centrally through the body portion andcomposed of twisted rope strands, of anattaching device secured to one end thereof, a gripping element secured to the other end thereof, and a closely coiled spring extending.

pletely covered thereby. L

' '5. In an assist grip, the combination a flexibly inert rope-likebody portion composed of twisted rope strands, of an attaching device-secured to one end thereof, agripping element secured to the other end thereof, and a closely coiled spring extending centrally through the body portion and completely coveredthereby, said spring being otherwise unattached and free. to move longitudinally.

6. A method of making'assist grips of the spring between them.

7 rising a body por-Y tion of coiled flexible material, attaching.

character described which embodiesv first preparing a twisted strand rope-like body portion, securing the ends thereof against untwisting by means of the attaching and grip elements, respectively, and then inserting a spring core in the center of thero-pe body so that it is completely covered thereby by spreading the strands at one end, inserting oneend of the spring and further progressively spreading'the strands down the length of the body while progressivelytucking the ALBERT BROWN. 

